The Rest of My Life
by floofy-von-snoof
Summary: All it took was one thought to change his life. EDIT: I FIXED THE FORMAT, I AM SO SORRY!
1. Chapter 1

**Holy snap, I didn't realize the formatting went wrong! Sorry!**

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"Merci, Gabby!" Glass Joe says as his former student takes the menu from his friend. "Pas de problème!" the waiter/boxer replies as he goes to take the order.

"So, how have things been, Kaiser?" the Parisian asks in his native language, and Von Kaiser scans the area briefly once again before beginning to settle in his seat.

"I suppose I'm fine." he tells him in a monotone, and Joe chuckles. "You're so damn stern." Glass Joe remarks, and Von Kaiser shrugs.

They sit there and talk about their lives, personal and professional. Gabby brings their coffee, they thank him and give him the tip as well as pay for the coffee. It is quite uneventful for the most part until they joke that they may as well move in together with how much they talk to each other.

Even still, Von Kaiser's mind begins to wander a little more. Perhaps living with Glass Joe wouldn't be that bad. He's known him for a long time, nearly twenty-five years, and he has been there to support him through his entire career. Spending the rest of his life with Joe doesn't sound bad at all.

In that moment, his view of Glass Joe is changed forever with a single thought.

I would spend the rest of my life with him if I could.

Von Kaiser's breath is caught in his chest and his heart is sent aflutter upon the realization that he has fallen in love; his heart also sinks to the bottom of his stomach when he realizes he's fallen in love with his best friend.

It isn't at all the fact that they are both men. That doesn't matter at all. Especially in light of the fact that this man is Glass Joe. This man, whom he has built a purely platonic connection with. This man, whom he has called his friend for years. If this were someone, anyone different, this would be fine. But it isn't. This is his best friend.

Why has he so suddenly fallen in love with him? Or was he always in love with him and assumed it was camaraderie? No, this is definitely love. It is love now, but he didn't love him this way before now. He could almost swear it on his life.

It crosses his mind that a wedding band would look nice on Glass Joe, but he quickly tries to banish the thought. They are friends, and Von Kaiser worked hard just to be friends with him. To try and be his lover would take longer, and it would take more work too.

He wishes he never thought of it, but now that he has he can't stop.

"Monsieur Kaiser? Are you okay?"

The German wobbles his head as he is pulled back into reality by the sound of Glass Joe's voice. Slowly, he nods and tells him he's fine, and the Frenchman sighs in relief. "You worried me." he tells him, and Von Kaiser briefly imagines Glass Joe kissing his cheek and calling him his sweetheart.

He feels horrible, imagining doing things so…so utterly intimate with his best friend. No! Perhaps he'll forget about the thought tomorrow…

Were he alone, he'd bury his face in his palms. Who is he kidding? He is not going to forget this. He won't forget it tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, not ever.

With that realization, he wishes even more these feelings weren't there. There are people out there more deserving of the younger man's love. There are stronger, smarter, gentler, more attractive men and women than himself. There are people who can do more for him than he can.

He sighs quietly, looking at Glass Joe once again. He smiles bright, relaxing in his seat as they drink coffee at the cafe by the Eiffel tower. The poor man is blissfully unaware of Von Kaiser's feelings for him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry about the format again! I just realized there was a remove formatting option.**

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Von Kaiser wanted to tell his friend about these feelings. These newfound feelings were amazing. He'd realized by then that they weren't always there, but they still came around sooner than he thought.

He wanted to go to the Frenchman's house, sweep him off his feet, give him a long hug and a short kiss, get down on his knees, and propose to him on the spot. The cute little fantasy made him giggle like a schoolgirl with a crush-

A schoolgirl with a crush!? Von Kaiser snapped out of this little fantasy upon realizing just how immature he was acting. He was much too mature to do such important things upon impulse, and though it does paint a very nice image, it is an illogical one, thus ruining the fantasy for him almost completely.

Still, in spite of that, he wanted to share this euphoria with his friend. He wanted to become someone of romantic interest to Glass Joe. But…how would he approach him? Oh dear goodness, what was he going to do with these feelings!?

The German snapped out of his thoughts once again when he heard a cat mewing. He looked to his feet and saw Monica, a black kitten he adopted from the shelter in New York, and he yelped as he picked her up from rubbing on his legs, "Monica! Tut mir leid!"

He held the cat and asked more quietly, "Hast du hungrig?" While he didn't get a nod from the black cat, he did suppose it was about time they ate dinner. Almost wordlessly, he filled her bowl and pet her before he went to make himself a quick meal, but lo and behold, he thought of Glass Joe once again. Verdammt! Now he wants that wonderful man off his mind! Please, soon enough! Not while he's in France, just a block away from the Frenchman's house…

He stopped what he was doing. Maybe it would be worth it now. He didn't have to leave for Berlin for a few days. He can afford to go. It's so much, but so little time.

Petting his cat, he told her a brief goodbye and left the motel. Perhaps it was time he did something impulsive for once in his life.

 **+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ Two years later… +~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~**

Von Kaiser walks into Glass Joe's house, and the Frenchman greets him with an Eskimo kiss and a sweet, "Mon cher, where were you?"

The German laughs and wraps his arms around his lover/former best friend, closing the door behind him. "I was getting the last of my things, honey."

Glass Joe laughs, then takes Von Kaiser's left hand. He initiates a kiss on the lips and Von Kaiser's face reddens swiftly. "Joseph…" the German breathes nervously, and Glass Joe doubles over in laughter. "Come on! We've been together for two years now, we're moving in together …"

There is a gold band on his ring finger. "…and we've gotten married, yet you're still nervous!?"

Von Kaiser stifles a laugh, but he surrenders and lets himself be vulnerable for once. "Oh Joseph. I'm so sorry. I just need to get used to this becoming a regular thing."

Offering another peck on the lips, Glass Joe giggles, "Well, why don't we start by getting you used to living with me?"

Von Kaiser laughs in agreement, and they start unpacking his things.

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The couple sleeps together that night and will finish unpacking tomorrow.

For now, however, neither of them know what utter bliss their life will be. They just let sleep overtake them as they lay in each other's arms, spending their last moments of consciousness whispering "I love you" in their respective languages. Monica kneads the blankets and lays between them.

It very beautifully paints an accurate image of what will be most of the rest of their lives.


End file.
